05/23/25 - #397

Good morning. In today’s edition:

• Common Energy Drink Ingredient Taurine Linked to Blood Cancer

• Weighted Vest Use During Weight Loss Reduces Subsequent Weight Regain Through Preserved Resting Metabolic Rate, in Older Adults Living With Obesity and Osteoarthritis

• Measles Outbreak in North Dakota Prompts Local Health Officials to Quarantine Unvaccinated Schoolchildren

• How Many Hours of Sleep You Need May Depend on Where You Live. An Analysis of Sleep Data and Health Outcomes for Nearly 5,000 People in 20 Countries Revealed That the Hours of Sleep Required for Good Health Varies Across Different Cultures. Low-sleep Cultures Are No Less Healthy

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

Common Energy Drink Ingredient Taurine Linked to Blood Cancer

Taurine, a common ingredient in energy drinks like Red Bull, may speed up the growth of blood cancer, according to new research. The study, published in Nature, found that taurine helped leukemia cells grow faster in lab tests on mice.

Taurine is an amino acid found in meat and fish. It helps the body balance fluids, salts, and minerals. It’s also used in energy drinks and sometimes given to cancer patients to reduce side effects from treatment. But this new research shows it may do more harm than good for people with blood cancer.

The researchers said taurine may “fuel” leukemia cells by helping them make energy from sugar. This process, called glycolysis, gave the cancer cells more power to grow. Mice that were given taurine had a much higher risk of death.

This doesn’t mean taurine causes cancer, but it could make it worse in people who already have it. The study suggests doctors and patients should be careful about using taurine, especially during cancer treatment.

Past studies showed taurine might help protect the body from damage during chemotherapy. But this new study shows it could be risky for people with certain blood cancers.

If you drink energy drinks often or are being treated for cancer, talk to your doctor. They can help you decide if taurine is safe for you. Energy drinks may not be the best choice for people with cancer or other serious health problems.

Source: people.com

WEIGHT LOSS

Weighted Vest Use During Weight Loss Reduces Subsequent Weight Regain Through Preserved Resting Metabolic Rate, in Older Adults Living With Obesity and Osteoarthritis

A small study suggests that wearing a weighted vest while dieting might help older adults keep the weight off longer. The study looked at adults over age 70 who had both obesity and osteoarthritis.

Eighteen people joined a 6-month weight loss program. Half of them wore a weighted vest for about 10 hours a day while cutting calories. The other half followed the same diet but didn’t wear a vest. Both groups lost about the same amount of weight—around 10 to 11 kilograms (22 to 24 pounds)—after six months.

But the difference came after two years. Those who wore the vest had only gained back half the weight they lost. The group without the vest regained nearly all of it.

The reason? The weighted vest group was better able to maintain their resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is how many calories the body burns while at rest. When people lose weight, their metabolism usually slows down. But wearing the vest may have helped trick the body into thinking it hadn’t lost as much weight, keeping the metabolism more stable.

Though the study was small, it supports the idea that added weight on the body—like from a vest—can influence how our bodies handle weight loss. More research is needed, but for older adults looking to maintain weight loss, a weighted vest might one day be part of the solution. Always talk to your doctor before starting any new weight loss plan.

Source: nature.com

HEALTH

Measles Outbreak in North Dakota Prompts Local Health Officials to Quarantine Unvaccinated Schoolchildren

A measles outbreak in North Dakota has led health officials to quarantine nearly 200 unvaccinated students. The outbreak happened in Williams County, in the northwest part of the state.

So far in 2025, there have been over 1,000 measles cases across the U.S. Most are linked to a large outbreak that began in West Texas and spread to nearby states. Almost all cases have been in people who were not vaccinated.

In North Dakota, health officials told families of unvaccinated students in the Williston Basin School District that their children must stay home for 21 days if exposed to measles. The school district sent out a warning two weeks before the quarantine, explaining how serious measles can be.

Lynn Douglas, the district nurse, said, “Even a small drop in vaccination rates can lead to outbreaks. Measles spreads easily and can cause serious illness.”

The CDC says 126 people have been hospitalized with measles this year, and three people have died—two children in Texas and one adult in New Mexico. All were unvaccinated.

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and protects against these diseases. Only about 4% of people who got measles this year had been vaccinated.

Since 2000, measles was thought to be gone in the U.S., but low vaccination rates are bringing it back. Health officials say getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community.

Source: edition.cnn.com

How Many Hours of Sleep You Need May Depend on Where You Live. An Analysis of Sleep Data and Health Outcomes for Nearly 5,000 People in 20 Countries Revealed That the Hours of Sleep Required for Good Health Varies Across Different Cultures. Low-sleep Cultures Are No Less Healthy

You may think everyone needs eight hours of sleep to stay healthy. But a new study shows that may not be true for everyone around the world.

Researchers looked at sleep habits and health from nearly 5,000 adults in 20 countries. They found that the number of hours needed for good health depends on where you live.

For example, people in Japan sleep about six hours and 18 minutes a night. In France, they sleep almost eight hours. Canadians sleep about seven and a half hours. Even though sleep times were different, people in countries with shorter sleep weren’t less healthy.

The study showed that people feel their best when they sleep the same amount as most people in their culture. Dr. Steven Heine, one of the researchers, said there isn’t just one perfect amount of sleep for everyone.

Dr. Christine Ou, another lead author, said that people in all countries were sleeping about one hour less than what’s ideal in their culture. That means modern life might be making it hard for people to get the right amount of rest.

Experts now believe sleep guidelines should match local habits and cultures.

So, if you sleep less than eight hours but feel fine, that might be normal for where you live. What’s most important is getting the right amount of sleep for you—and that may depend on your country and culture.

Source: news.ubc.ca

✢ A Note From Hem Hero

The information in this health newsletter is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment; always consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health. The publishers are not responsible for any actions taken by the reader based on the information provided.